Pacers swingman Paul George (left) won the league's "Most Improved Player" award last season. Could Knicks swingman Iman Shumpert (right) be in line to capture that superlative this year?
(Tom Russo-USA TODAY Sports)

"We're going to figure it out," Shumpert
told Kennedy at the Adidas Nations tournament. "We're going to get this
championship. We're going to figure it out. I have confidence in not only in
our coaching staff, the organization, but just being in that locker room, and
the additions that we made this offseason I'm happy about. We can't wait to get
to work."

There's a perception
that Shumpert is a favorite to win the Most Improved Player award. He wasn't
100 percent last season as he continued to work his way back from a torn ACL,
but he did improve his perimeter shot (40.2 percent from 3-point range). The
main issue for Shumpert is that he struggled to drive and finish at the rim as
he had done as a rookie.

Now, with a stronger left knee, Shumpert can expect to regain the athleticism of his rookie season while continuing to develop as a perimeter threat.

In other Knicks news:

• J.R.
Smith told ESPNNewYork.com's Jared Zwerling that the Knicks are still New
York's premiere team: "'It's an unbelievable
move for [coach Jason Kidd] to have a team like that to start off with in his
first year,' Smith said Thursday at his golf tournament to benefit his youth
foundation. '[The Nets] have a great chance to compete for a title, but I think
we're still the marquee team in New York.'"

• Zwerling
also reported that the Knicks have interest in Lou Amundson, but that doesn't
mean a signing is imminent.

• CBSSports.com's
Ken Berger reported that Cuttino Mobley is dropping his lawsuit against Madison
Square Garden, which claimed he was forced to retire by the team and not
because of any heart condition: "Both sides
agreed to have the case dismissed 'with prejudice,' meaning Mobley's claims
against the Knicks and their parent company cannot be brought again. No court
costs or legal fees are due either side, the attorneys agreed in papers filed with
the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York."